Hopeful boy looks forward for his first classroom experience

 

Kenzho was just five years old when the pandemic happened in the Philippines. He was supposed to enter his 1st grade in primary level. He was really looking forward to meet his teacher and his new classmates. However, the community quarantine measures delayed his first classroom experience. Now, he continues to hope that someday he will finally learn with his classmates and meet new friends.

The young boy from the province of Aklan is already seven years old. As an only child, he spends most of his time playing with his neighbor friends. He also helps his mother in their house chores.

“When I am not playing or cleaning the house, I study my lessons and read my books,” said Kenzho who is already in his 2nd grade. Because of the pandemic, the young student learns through module lessons at home.

Kenzho’s mother, Almira, teaches him with his lessons at home. “Kenzho is a fast learner. He can easily understand the lessons. He also loves practicing his reading and writing skills,” shared the 28-year-old mother.

To fully support Kenzho with his lessons, Almira decided to quit her job so she could focus in tutoring his son and taking care of him during the pandemic. “I was also worried that I might get sick if I continued going to my workplace. During the peak of pandemic, there were also many cases of strict lockdowns in the province. That’s why I resigned from my job because I don’t want to get stuck in a different place far from my son,” she explained.

While being jobless, Almira depends from the two small businesses that she and her mother, Amy, started before the pandemic. They have a sundry store that earns P300 per day. They also invested in a piggery business where they earn from selling piglets for every 3-4 months’ time. During their recent transaction, they sold 9 piglets for P3,000 each.

“We are grateful that we joined World Vision’s CoMSCA program where we learned how to save and invest our money in productive ventures,’ shared Amy, the 58-year-old grandmother, who also volunteers as a World Vision child monitor for more than a decade.

Through World Vision, Kenzho also receives gifts from his Filipino sponsor such as new clothes, school supplies, and medicines. They also communicate with each other regularly through letter writing.

“My sponsor is kind. He remembers me during my birthdays and sends me gifts. He also motivates me to study well in his letters,” Kenzho said.

While face to face classes hasn’t returned, Kenzho remains hopeful that he will get to experience wearing his school uniform in the morning and going to school with his friends someday. Until then, the young boy focuses on his module lessons with the help of his mother, grandmother, and his World Vision sponsor.

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Child Sponsorship is more than just a monetary contribution. It brings Hope, Joy and Justice to vulnerable Filipino children. When you become a child sponsor, you are embarking on a mission to help empower the disadvantaged, respond to their most immediate needs when disasters happen, make health and education accessible for children, lead communities toward self-sufficiency through livelihood opportunities, and so much more. You do not just impact a child, you impact his or her community.

 

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